


Impression, Sunrise

by Frozenleaf



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Angst with a happy ending I swear, At the start at least, F/M, He gets better, Hurt/Comfort, Rivals to Friends to Lovers, Self-Worth Issues, Slightly Villainous Bede, but delves into post-game relationship development, done for Bederia Week Day 1: First Impressions, mentions of abandonment issues, starts out exploring in-game canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 05:27:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29604561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frozenleaf/pseuds/Frozenleaf
Summary: Bede doesn't think much of the unassuming girl that smiles at him at the Opening Ceremony. He has no clue of how easily she sweeps into his path, turning everything topsy-turvy with the color and light she spills into his life, before settling herself in his heart.
Relationships: Beet | Bede/Yuuri | Gloria
Comments: 10
Kudos: 28





	Impression, Sunrise

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Bederia Week Day 1: First Impressions, and originally I was going to stick closer to the prompt but then the fic kinda... just spiraled off on its own... I'm sorry orz
> 
> i also apologize to claude monet for using the name of his painting but during the drafting stage i thought it was fitting and then i couldn't think of a better title

There's nothing remarkable about the girl.

Bede spots her just moments after he registers. He's walking away, dreams of the Championship in his head, when an impact brings him back down to reality. Some country hick bumped against him, and he turns, ready to lash out at the idiot that hadn't watched where he put his feet. But there's a movement off to the side, and there she is- a simple girl, her eyes wide as he meets her gaze. He supposes that maybe she's just a casual passerby, a curious onlooker that happened to stroll into the stadium.

She flashes him a weak, nervous smile.

Bede snorts. When she tries to talk to him later, he tells her not to bother him and puts her out of his mind. To him, she's just like all the other pointless people around, someone that doesn't really matter.

So he's surprised when, come the Opening Ceremony, she's anything but.

She stands in the middle of the pitch, her challenger's jersey looking way too big for her slender shoulders, her eyes ducking from the attention and spotlight. Her nervous giggle reaches his ears when Chairman Rose talks to her. When his mentor smiles, and shakes her hand.

She's the one endorsed by the Champion.

She sidles up to him after the ceremony, while he's waiting- _(hoping)-_ that Chairman Rose will call on him for a private chat _(to check on him)_ before he heads on to Turffield. Bede keeps to himself, standing behind a pillar, trying to maintain his distance from the rest of his competition. He's not here to _make friends_. But whatever hope he had to avoid useless conversation is dashed when the girl waves nervously at him.

"Hello," she says softly, her cheeks dimpling as her bangs fall over her eyes.

Something coils in his gut at her appearance. She looks totally normal, unassuming. But the sight of the Chairman, talking to her _(praising her)_ on the pitch _(instead of him),_ is burned into his brain.

She's shorter than him, her brown hair curling around an impish face. Wide eyes look around at their surroundings with awe. Sheltered innocence radiates off her, a childishness lingering in her gaze which Bede finds laughable. Her jacket looks rough, hand-knit. Her hat, cheap. Then she shuffles into his space nervously- and it reminds him of the countless children at the orphanage and the Trainer School, all wanting something from him without anything to give in return.

He glares at her. "I don't want anything from you."

Bede takes smug pleasure as her brows knit into a frown from the sharpness of his tone, and a look other than childish happiness shadows her face.

 _Ah_ , he thinks. Maybe she's not as dumb as she looks, if she can recognize her betters.

But then she smiles again, tentatively, and Bede stifles a growl. It's alright, he reasons. He can leave, save himself the trouble of dealing with this nuisance. He'll just impress Chairman Rose with his first gym battle, then he'll _definitely_ be called on then.

He stalks off without another word. Pulls up his coat, as if it can protect him from the warmth of the girl's stare burning into his back.

He waits until he's out of the stadium before he breathes, eases the tension from his shoulders. She won't matter, he reminds himself. He's here to win the Championship, not deal with children.

And if this is his competition, it'll be a cakewalk to get to Leon, and then become the Champion that Galar- _that Chairman Rose-_ deserves.

He doesn't even stop to catch her name.

* * *

It's Gloria.

It sounds prosaic. A name from the countryside, a delicate flower that won't last long on in the heat of the sun. It suits her, Bede thinks, as he watches her stumble down the rocky trail towards him. She doesn't really stand out. None of the newscasters buzzing about the Gym Challenge this year have really paid much focus on her, preferring to talk about him and Leon's younger brother. She's just a little tagalong, the little neighbor that maybe Leon took pity on. And as she makes her way down the mine shaft in her hand-me-down clothes, with her stupid hat getting snagged on the rocks, Bede can believe that.

"I suppose I should prove beyond doubt just how pathetic you are, and how strong I am," he tells her, pulling out a Pokeball.

She only smiles nervously at that, and acquiesces to the battle as if he invited her for tea. Her blasé response grates on his nerves, and Bede grits his teeth.

Then the match begins.

Her smile hardens, her stance shifting as she snaps her gaze across the small cavern. Her brown eyes shine bright in the sliver of light piercing the gloom.

She yells for Grookey to attack.

Her Pokemon climbs and darts along the walls rather than staying out in the open, out where he can see. Despite the darkness, they work in sync- her commands come faster than he can keep track, and Grookey's movements are rough, but full of speed and power. They take advantage of the terrain, hiding in the nooks and crannies before darting out to strike. It lacks the finesse of his opponents at Trainer School, but her Grookey turns wild movements into spiraling kicks and darting blows. Her commands keep it from getting caught out by his Psychic Pokemon's attacks, moving just one step out of reach.

Bede can beat this. He's better, trained more, can see the blind spots in her thought process. He knows how to exploit her weakness, the command right on his lips to turn the tide of the battle-

But before he can speak, Grookey lashes out, leaping out of the dark to hit Hatenna square in the back. His little Pokemon lets out a little cry.

She falls.

The world stills.

For the first time in a very, very long time, Bede's lost.

He gapes, his mind still not quite catching up to the present. His gaze is fixed on Hatenna's slumped form on the cold earth, before shifting to the Grookey on the opposite end of the cavern. Behind her Pokemon, Gloria watches him with a frown, hands tucked into her hand-knit jacket.

She offers a small smile. "It was a good battle."

It was _not_.

Anger bubbles underneath his skin. He would have won. He _should_ have won. It must have been because he wasn't paying enough attention, hadn't reacted as fast as he could. He had seen through her entire strategy within seconds, so really, this was a fluke. That she would think that this manic attacking was a _real_ battle stood testament more to her lack of understanding than anything else.

So when Bede returns Hatenna to her Pokeball and stalks up to her, he says, "I'm sure to easily defeat you, if and when we face each other in an official match."

Gloria pauses, one hand out of her pocket and... what, reaching out to him for a _handshake_? He catches her momentary surprise, the slight dip in the corners of her mouth. But then it passes, and her smile is back on her face and she tilts her head slightly, a giggle emanating from her lips.

"Maybe so," she agrees. "But I'll get stronger, too! That's what we're all on this journey for, right? To reach new heights with our Pokemon, together?"

 _Childish,_ Bede thinks viciously. That's not why he's here.

He doesn't say that. Instead, he snorts and stalks off. He has a mission, and the Wishing Stars aren't going to find themselves.

"Ah, Bede!"

He ignores her voice, tries to shrug off the way it echoes through the caverns and reverberates through his jacket and skin. Doesn't try to think of how she smiles at him like they're _friends._

 _(Friends use you. Friends smile warmly at you. Then, when you lower your guard because you're lonely and you_ hope _, they'll push you down, down into the dirt and cold and leave you with nothing.)_

Bede puts her smile out of his mind, focuses instead on his mistakes- what he can do better, where he went wrong.

It isn't until after that he realizes that she knew his name.

* * *

Another cave, another match.

Gloria stumbles down the rocky path soon after Bede's second badge, and he's ready for her. Ready to crush her, to prove to her- to everyone else _(and Chairman Rose)_ that he's just as strong, just as deserving.

_(Tries to forget the sight he glimpsed of her, back in Hulbury, with the Chairman's hand on her back as his mentor invites her to join him for lunch.)_

Except he can't beat her, and her raw power just overwhelms his well-thought out plans. No longer hiding in shadows, her Thwackey strikes hard and fast, shrugging off his Pokemon's hits as if they were nothing. And just like before, everything his Pokemon throws at hers just isn't _enough_.

He hates this. Hates the way the Chairman looks at her with a smile, the way her name sounds fond on his lips. Hates the way her Corvisquire seals her victory with a final flap of its wings.

He takes a moment to refocus on her, to study her dumb jacket, her stupid hat, her dimpling cheeks.

"I let you win," he says, drawing himself up as she extends a hand out to him.

"Oh?" She blinks, then smiles. A steady one now. "Thank you, then. It was still a good battle. I learn a lot from battling you, I find."

And Bede hates the way she doesn't take offense, treats it as if everything he says is a good old joke. Her hand remains outstretched towards him, no longer pulled back like last time. The confidence in her voice, the _friendliness_ dripping off of it... the invitation, bright in her eyes.

Bede hates _her._

He storms off, not caring what she thinks of him. Not caring that he still sees her later, when he's alone, when he closes his eyes and there's her warm smile, behind his eyelids. So different from the other Gym Challengers, from the other children who cower in fear and disgust at him once they realize how strong he is.

Her hand, fingers wide, waiting for him to grasp.

_(He wonders, briefly what it'd be like to take that hand. Wonders what it would mean.)_

No. Bede bites down on the feelings welling in his throat, reminds himself why he's here. Who he is. Gloria doesn't deserve anything that she has- not her victories, not her strength, not her confidence. And he'll prove it to her, one day, that all his efforts and all his sacrifices have made him far stronger than she can ever hope to be.

Than she ever _deserves_ to be.

* * *

He beats Leon's little brother.

Something sparks in Gloria's eyes when he tells her that the next they meet, smile smug and spirits high. But instead of congratulating him _(and turning her praise to him)_ , or realizing how utterly outclassed she is _(they're the same, aren't they? Her and her little friend?),_ her mouth shapes in a soft 'o' and her brow knits in a frown.

"I should talk to him," she murmurs, more to herself than anyone else, and Bede realizes- she's _concerned._ Over a weakling, instead of the actual trainer in front of her.

It annoys him. Heat floods his cheeks, and his spine stiffens. She should be more concerned of herself- if Bede can beat her friend, he can definitely beat _her._ And besides, she's never shown that much care towards him when she beats _him_ now, has she?

Not that Bede needs her concern. Nor her friendship. No, he's _happy_ the news seems to put her off-track, seems to shake her somewhat. Maybe he'll let it stew a bit before coming back to take his victory.

He shakes his head. "Anyway," he says, "I have a meeting with the chairman, so I must excuse myself."

He forces a smile on his face to meet her stare. Waves his hand in a dismissive farewell, and ascends the stairs to Hammerlocke. He has better things to worry about. A mission to accomplish, for Galar. For the Chairman.

He knows just where to go to next.

* * *

Stow-on-side is washed orange in the evening. A soft breeze brushes past his curls, but Bede has better things to do than admire his surroundings.

Indeed, he needs to remove that hideous mural _(that obstacle to his dreams)_ , and find the treasures he knows are hiding behind. Prove to the Chairman that he's just as good as he says he is.

"Destroy it," he tells Copperajah. "Destroy it all! We're going to find those Wishing Stars!"

The Pokemon trumpets, rushing headlong into the stone with its trunk raised. The rocks crumble down the cliffside. Bede steps forward grimly, surveying his work, looking for the tell-tale glint of the Wishing Stars.

Then he hears footsteps behind him. A dismayed yelp. A familiar voice, calling his name.

"Bede!"

 _What is she doing here?_ His heart freezes when he spots Gloria's stupid hat. His lips twist into a scowl. She has that gentle frown on her face, as if she can't comprehend what's going on. But it's too obvious that it's just a part she plays, just as she has Chairman Rose wrapped around her finger, just as she's definitely stronger than she pretends she is, and now, _now-_

"So you think that you can start collecting Wishing Stars now and get in the Chairman's favor? That's the way of things, is it?" He grits his teeth, pulls out a Pokeball. "I won't have it! I won't allow anyone to stand in my way!"

He can beat her. Bede knows it, deep within his bones. He's spent countless nights thinking about their previous battles, about _how to beat her_. He knows she prefers a wild offense, knows that his Pokemon can stop her, can _win_.

But the battle's over faster even than he can blink. And as the dust settles, he sees the firm glint in her brown eyes, the wind brushing against her brown curls in the evening light. Her face is serious. Her smile is gone.

She watches him with an expression so guarded that it unnerves him. Gloria's always smiling, always has that dumb friendliness about her. But now that pretense is gone, and the serious-looking Gloria that stands before him watches him as if she's staring into his soul. But before he can comment on that, _(before he can even realize he's lost again)_ , he hears a shrill voice, calling his name.

Dread sinks into the pit of his gut when he spots Oleana. And behind her, he meets Chairman Rose's disapproving stare.

Despite his protests, despite his reasoning, despite how he did it all for the sake of Galar- _(for the Chairman)_ \- his mentor, his inspiration, turns away from him.

"You are clearly not a worthy challenger for the Gym Challenge."

There's an audible gasp from the audience around them. Gloria, and that redhead woman next to her. Heat flares in Bede's cheeks, but his legs are frozen, and his gut roils and twists and it _hurts_. Shame fills him, shame and disbelief and _how could this have happened?_

A touch on his shoulder draws his attention. He finds no mercy or kindness in Oleana's ice cold eyes. "I will be taking those Wishing Stars you have gathered," she says, shuffling him on. A promise to take away everything he's done, everything he's earned.

Bede's barely able to think. It's just enough to move his feet forward under Oleana's guidance.

He ducks his head, squeezes his eyes shut. Tries to ignore the murmurs of the people around him, the way Chairman Rose doesn't even bother looking back at him.

But the breeze brushes against his cheek, tousles his hair. He looks up- and for a moment, silhouetted by the evening sun, his eyes meet hers.

The light tints her skin orange, makes her look warm. There's a strange look on her face then, her eyes wide and brow pulled upwards, her mouth open in a soft gasp. One hand extended, reaching out to him... for what?

"Bede..." She says his name differently now, leaden with something else he hasn't heard in a long time. Not since the orphanage, not since he allowed himself to be beaten and hurt because of his weakness.

_Pity._

Something blooms in his chest. Something hot as fire and cold as ice. He's been abandoned again, tossed aside if he was nothing but a dish rag. And she looks at him as if he's some miserable _child._

He hates her pity even more than he hates her. Hates how she looks at him like that, as if he's in need of her protection and help, when she was the one who caused this all to begin with. If she didn't exist, if she wasn't the Chairman's favorite... Bede swallows, snaps his gaze forward, keeps moving his legs, one step at a time.

He will not cry.

* * *

Opal takes him in.

Ballonlea is nice. Quiet. Sheltered away from the rest of the world. Time passes in a flurry of activity- the old lady never lets him rest, pushing him in all sorts of pointless tasks in order to tap into his 'pink'. Despite the busyness of it, it gives him time to rest, to heal.

And far too often, on his worst days, when he's curled up in bed wondering how he got to this point, he sees a girl looking at him with soft eyes, the sun at her back.

_He should be able to beat her._

That's the thought that drives him. If he can get stronger, he can show everyone that the Chairman was wrong to cast him aside. He can make Gloria realize he doesn't need her pity. And maybe he'll still be strong enough, powerful enough, that the Chairman will welcome him back with open arms.

But even though that thought drives him through his training, something else settles within him. The stability of tall, dark trees. The constant sound of Opal's voice, the gym, the shadows that hide him from the scorching light of the world.

It's peaceful. Calm. Nothing at all like the frantic dashing to-and-fro in order to find the Wishing Stars. Opal's presence isn't outwardly warm, but she's around more than the Chairman ever was. More cryptic, to be sure, but she doesn't turn away from him, her eyes always trained on his mistakes.

"You'll be a fine gym leader, one day," she remarks once. It's the most straightforward she's ever been with any of her answers, though he never voiced the question.

Bede wonders.

Never once does the old woman look away.

* * *

Bede heads off to Wyndon when Opal tells him it's time for the Championship.

He manages to sneak into the lockers, using the Ballonlea uniform to feign that he belongs here, that he's a representative of the gym. Oddly enough, security buys it, and he manages to make his way onto the pitch.

He sees Gloria at the other end. She stands across from him, mouth opened in surprise.

He thinks about everything he's been through. Remembers all their past matches. Remembers the way she drove him forward, to this point.

He issues a desperate challenge into the vast stadium. There's a flicker of understanding in her eyes then, a terse nod. Tense seconds follow as the commentators discuss his failures, talk about what to do with him, and Bede braces himself for the disappointment that his request will be rejected, and that he'd be dragged off even more shamefully by the security staff.

Then the Champion gives his approval for the match to go ahead.

The battle commences in a flash.

Gloria doesn't bother asking. She doesn't need to, and comes at him with all she has. She's grown stronger now- no longer the awkward country girl struggling in a cave. She looks as if she fits her once-too-large jersey, her shoulders squared back, her stance unyielding. The look in her eyes is fervent, blazing bright under the spotlight.

But Bede's grown stronger too. With his fairy Pokemon, he tries to trap her Pokemon, to limit their movements- his Mawile's jaw traps her Rillaboom's arm before it can react, and sends it flying to the end of the stadium with a swift blow.

But as the battle wears on, something shifts. He can see it in her eyes. An understanding, a plan. Suddenly, her commands are more evasive, her Corviknight pirouetting in the air around his Pokemon instead of launching a direct attack. Even Hatterene has trouble trying to pin the bird down, and despite how familiar the situation is, how the memory of his losses bite into the back of his mind... Bede can't help but smile bitterly when he meets her gaze across the field.

Gloria is _strong_.

She always was. Rough around the edges at first, but now, looking at her, Bede realizes how outclassed he's been all this time. How incredible she is, all this time.

Hatterene falls with a precise strike. The explosion from the Gigantamax particles dispersing rocks the stadium. But when the dust clears, the scene is familiar. His Pokemon, defeated, and Gloria, watching him, across the field.

He exhales, withdrawing Hatterene. Her Pokeball feels smaller in his hand now, the cool plastic a balm against the heat of his skin. He did his absolute best, and his Pokemon were spectacular. But that just wasn't good enough.

His hand shakes. Tears peak at the corner of his eyes. Everything he wanted to have, everything he thought he deserved after all he'd been through, fading out of his reach-

"Don't quit."

Two hands fold over his own. Her touch is gentle, warm. Steadying, pulling him out of his dark thoughts. Her soft voice is clear in his ears, and when he looks up, Gloria's smile is tentative.

"You're a good trainer, Bede. You've grown so strong. I really do mean that. I really do enjoy our battles together."

And remembering the pounding flush of adrenaline as he tried to maneuver her Pokemon into position, remembering the exhilarating thrill when Rillaboom went flying... For the first time, her words sound... _real._

Bede sighs. "I... enjoyed them very much, too."

"Then please, don't stop." Gloria grips his hand firmly, her gaze holding him fast. "Let's battle again some day. We'll both become stronger, and we'll enjoy more battles together. Wouldn't that be grand?"

He still hates how strong she is, how utterly incredibly her growth is. But that hate softens at the edges, tinged with respect for the girl before him. The girl who holds his hand and looks at him with the entire focus of her world.

Gloria smiles. Maybe it's the leftover adrenaline from the battle, but under her gaze, warmth fills the empty spots within him like he's finally stepped into the sunlight.

Bede realizes- He wants to beat her for his sake, not for anyone else's.

"Alright." He withdraws his hand from hers, stands up straight. Wears the colors of Ballonlea gym as proudly as he can. He smiles to her then, just like Opal trained him to. "I suppose I have no choice but to continue my training as the Fairy-type Gym Leader."

The audience erupts in cheers.

* * *

The skies darken as giant Pokemon rampage through the city.

Like all the other gym representatives, Bede's taken to the streets, trying to contain the madness. He ducks away from screaming people, ushers panicked families towards the shelter of the stadium. Uses every bit of training Opal put into him to keep the Dynamaxed Pokemon focused on him, on his Pokemon. He can't handle nearly enough as Raihan can, but if it helps, even a little, until this madness subsides...

 _(This was what the Chairman had wanted, wasn't it? By following him, this was what_ he _wanted. But he had been too weak, too foolish, to see how this was how it was all going to end.)_

He doesn't try to think too much about the whys, the what happeneds, lest he get caught up in the swell of bitterness and the weird twisting nausea in his gut. Instead, he tries to focus on what he can do, how he can help.

Then the storm breaks. Sunlight pours in through the cracks in the clouds. The Dynamaxed Rhyperior he was fighting shudders, before returning back to its normal size with a confused roar.

The moment stays tense, until slowly, the sky clears. The red fades. The Darkest Day is over.

Around him, people begin to cheer. Bede heaves a sigh of relief, pulling out his Y-comm to see what has happened, whether the other gym leaders still need his aid.

And right there, on the screen, he sees Gloria's smile.

The camera's focused on her and the Champion, standing atop Hammerlocke stadium. There's a brightness in her smile as she shakes Leon's hand, a warm relief and a shared laugh passing between the two of them. She raises a hand with a Pokeball- Eternatus, Bede knows. All caught on camera.

Bede swallows. Of course it's her that'd put an end to this fiasco. Of course she'd be able to stop the Chairman _(and Bede's)_ foolish plan. Part of him wishes he was stronger, so he'd be up there with her and Leon, able to do what the Champion should be able to do- for what use was strength if he couldn't help Galar in its time of need?

_(He doesn't think about how she's never smiled at him like that, before. Doesn't think about how the sight of it sparks a cold fire in his gut. Because, deep down, he would have wanted her to look at him the way she looks at Leon- with genuine respect.)_

But the Chairman's gone now. Eternatus is captured. Bede pushes his feelings aside as he continues to read. Gloria, Hop and Leon have saved Galar from the Darkest Day. It's a new dawn.

But somehow, the sunlight doesn't warm his skin.

He stands alone for a while, wondering what happens now.

* * *

Opal recognizes him as the Ballonlea Gym Leader.

Leon becomes Chairman.

Life continues.

Bede fights Gloria, the Champion, often in the Wyndon tournaments.

And though he tries, he never wins.

There are many new techniques Bede and his Pokemon continue to learn with Opal, new skills that he comes up with himself. Yet Gloria's Pokemon continue to evade his traps, and time and time again there's a bitter wistfulness that settles in his chest.

"If it weren't for you," he told her once, "I'd be the strongest trainer in the land."

He thought he caught a frown. But maybe it was the sun in his eyes, because the next thing he saw was Gloria's usual smile. She laughed it off, told him that _it doesn't matter, they're both strong, and isn't that enough?_

But it isn't, not that Bede expects her to understand. He's the Ballonlea Gym Leader, now, yes. And Chairman Rose is disgraced and sent to prison, without even a word to Bede. He's free from the shackles of his past, but still...

_(It's lonely in the shadows of Ballonlea, when Opal's gone to bed and the quiet is too much. It reminds him that the attention of those in power is fleeting, that he can be cast aside at a whim, that everything he has now is something that can disappear tomorrow and only when he's the strongest, when he's the best, can he truly feel safe.)_

And Gloria? Gloria's never had to worry about that security. She has a family, friends, has never been alone save for her Pokemon. She's never even _wanted_ to be Champion- not that same soul-crushing desire that kept Bede pushing himself harder and further. The attention and the fame from her title doesn't change the fact that she is someone loved. Someone... already _worthy_ of being loved.

He knows it isn't fair, but Bede wishes. It coils around his spine, a thorny vine that stings occasionally and reminds him to smile, to be nice, to guard everything that he has lest it slips away.

But it gets too much, sometimes. The roar of the crowd, the cheers of her name _(that should be his)_.

And when Gloria stumbles into the locker room after a particularly rough match with Leon, sweat dripping from her brow and her shoulders not so straight anymore, Bede frowns.

"Losing to Leon would have been embarrassing," he says. "Don't forget, I'm the only one that's meant to beat you."

He expects a laugh. A shrug. A smile.

Instead, Gloria stares at him. Her posture stiffens, and her lips purse into a straight line as she looks away.

It's odd. Lacking her usual cheer. It catches Bede's attention, and he frowns. But instead of moving towards her belongings, her soft voice skitters across the floor.

"That's all I am to you, isn't it?"

Bede frowns. He's not quite sure what she means.

Gloria sighs when he doesn't respond. Her hand pushes back her bangs, hair steaked with sweat. She looks at him then, and there's something vulnerable in her face, something quivering in her voice. "To you, I'm just a stepping stone, someone to beat."

 _Isn't that the nature of our competition?_ Bede wants to ask. But that barb is reserved for when Gloria's not looking at him with that pained expression, when she's strong and doesn't look more fragile and defeated than he remembers her ever being.

"Bede?"

"What... are you asking of me?"

The unwavering Champion falters. Chews a lip. "I... don't know," she whispers then. One arm wraps around her torso, and Gloria's shaking. Her brown eyes look... wet. "I guess I thought that... after everything we've been through, maybe you could see me as more than just an _obstacle_."

There's a horribly cold bitterness in her voice. An exhausted shadow under her eyes. A loneliness that radiates off her, echoes, all-too-familiar.

Bede doesn't realize he's moved until his hand rests on her shoulder.

She freezes, eyes wide as she turns to him. Tears streak down her face, mingling with her sweat. But it's the fear written so clearly on her face that punches the air out of his lungs. The shivering intensifies, and she angles her body away from him-

And as much as he wants to beat her, he realizes... he's never wanted her to shy away from him, to look like this. Bereft, lost without her smile. That stupid, ridiculous smile that's been such a constant to him that looking at it always made everything feel... _right._

"Gloria." He doesn't know why he's doing this, but he knows... this is his fault. He's knocked the Champion off her pedestal, but instead of gloating, of feeling proud, it's awful and nauseous and he wants it to _stop_.

His thumb rubs against her sleeve. Small, smoothing patterns that elicit a soft sob from her. She leans into his hand, and eventually, she raises her chin.

When she meets his gaze, some of her old fire is back in those big, brown eyes.

"I don't want you to look at me _just_ as someone you have to beat." She states it calmly, but her voice is soft, shaking.

Bede frowns. "But, isn't that... what we are?"

"I've never thought of you that way," Gloria murmurs. "You always looked so lonely, so sad."

Bede freezes. "I'm not," he protests.

She quirks a small smile. And it's the look in her eyes- piercing through his words- that tells him she knows.

"What do you want, then?" he grumbles.

She breathes in. Breathes out.

"Would you like to go for some tea?"

Gloria's words are unexpected. Her voice quakes, but the flare in her eyes speak of the full force of her intentions.

And sometimes, when she looks at him this way... he can imagine a time where they're more than just rivals. Where she flashes him that smile over something else he says, where her presence in his life doesn't just anchor him and drive him forward but is also warms him, if only he let it. Where he doesn't just see the pity in her eyes.

And Bede _wishes._

Quietly, Bede responds, "I'd love to."

She laughs, and wiping away her tears, she takes his hand. Her fingers slide in between his, her shoulder brushing against his arm. When she looks at him then, gaze lowered and smile wide, the pink dusting her skin catches his eyes. There's nothing guarded in her gaze now, just happiness, pure and simple.

Bede stills. He put that look on her face. For once, her smile was purely because of _him._

She ducks her head, but that can't hide her smile, the quivering joy of her hand, shaking in his.

* * *

Gloria's more familiar with Wyndon than he is. She leads him out the backdoor of the stadium, the collars of their coats pulled up to avoid prying eyes. Tugging him by the hand, they make their way down the winding streets and alleys, away from the crowds and noise.

They end up at a backalley, with none of the bright, neon signs that usually pepper Wyndon. The buildings are brick, the cobblestone aged. Gloria stops at a small, red door, hiding under the awnings of a tall shophouse. She flashes a small, nervous smile over her shoulder towards him, then steps through the entrance with a cheery greeting.

A small café. She's a regular, Bede supposes, from the way the waiter grins at her and brings her to a shady spot out in the terrace behind. Gloria sighs in relief as she settles underneath a trellis of vines and flowers. In front of them is a view of the Wyndon stadium across the river, its red dome nestled in between the Battle Tower and the outlying parks.

"Never a better view in all the city," Gloria says softly, and Bede realizes he's been staring. He glances back at her, his usual barbs right on his tongue.

But he falters. Instead of her usual, now-confident grin, the smile she casts his way is shy. Even though her shaking's faded, Bede can still remember the path her tears took down her cheeks, the way her lips trembled when she was crying. Her gaze flicks away, and Bede ignores the lump in his throat.

Gloria gestures to his seat, and he settles down on the rickety garden chair. The menu is a simple affair- the café doesn't really have a huge selection, so Gloria gets a slice of Rawst shortcake while Bede decides to settle for Roselia Tea. But once the waiter leaves, they lapse into an awkward silence.

Finally, Gloria takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry about... earlier."

His spine stiffens, and an uneasy knot twists in his gut. "Perish the thought," Bede mutters. It was his fault, after all. For always poking, always prodding, always hating. For letting his feelings get the best of him. And as much as he hates, as much as he resents, he knows it's not Gloria's fault he's weak.

 _Childish,_ he realizes. He's been acting like a child, unable to get what he wanted, so he threw a tantrum and flung barbed spikes at the only target he has.

The person that asked him out for tea, now, trying to be nice to him. Trying to make _him_ feel better.

He ducks his head, his fingers digging into his elbow. The knot in his gut tightens, the thorns around his neck digging in deep.

"You'd like the cakes here," Gloria says, falsely bright, as the waiter returns with their food. Delicate china clinks in front of them as the plates are set before them, and the sweet scent of roses and berries wafts in the air.

Bede falters. He's not sure whether to pick up his tea or to talk. He's imagined having a meal with Chairman Rose, imagined having someone's attention directly focused on him. But now that he's here- now that it's _Gloria_... he doesn't know what to do.

"I-" he begins. _I'm sorry. I think the weather's beautiful. I think you're ridiculously strong._ But the words die on his tongue, and Bede flinches.

A soft sigh. Then, Gloria mumbles, "You were... right. You always are, in your own way." She catches his eye, and offers a small smile. "I was careless earlier. And what you said... it reminded me that I can't afford to make a mistake. That everyone's looking at me to be the Champion."

"Do you?" Bede asks then. "Want to be the Champion, I mean." _(Because it hurts enough already, but to know she doesn't even want it-)_

"Not at first." Gloria slices into her cake. But instead of eating, she pushes her food on the plate with a frown. "But when I saw Eternatus descending from the sky, when I saw everyone in trouble... I realized that if I had the strength to help everyone, and stop that from happening, I wanted to do it. And as long as I'm the Champion, I have to give it my all- to make sure nothing bad ever happens to Galar."

She quirks a smile. "Even if I lose, my successor has to be someone who'd take care of Galar just as much as I'd want to, right? That's what you wanted to say, wasn't it?"

It wasn't. Bede's never really thought of anything quite so _noble_. So heartfelt and pure and nothing of selfishness, of fame or power or even love that it twists the guilt in his chest even further.

Because looking into those wide, brown eyes, he knows she means every word she says. _(She always has, and as infuriating as it is, it's why he respects her.)_

"You're an amazing Champion." The words are hard to say, but in light of how she's trusting him, how much she's told him- Bede needs her to know this, at least.

He catches the sign of her surprise easily now. She smiles, soft and easy, and plops her cake into her mouth. "Only because I have such a strong rival!" She laughs. "You always keep me on my toes, make sure I have no excuse to slack off."

"Do you ever slack off?" Bede smirks now, picking up his tea, the scent of Roselia leaves easing the tension in the air.

Gloria winks. "What do you think we're doing now?"

He holds back a smile, keeps his face smooth. "I could give you pointers on how to improve your battling."

And the Champion- the protector of Galar- groans, slumping over the table at the mention of _work_. Now Bede chuckles, watching as she pouts at him with feigned irritation, mumbling about how "you're all pink and no fun."

Bede laughs at that. Gloria grins, and he knows all's forgiven.

And if he enjoys the rapt attention she gives when he explains her mistakes, if he enjoys the way she laughs as the lazy breeze passes by... if he enjoys their quiet chatter that eases the evening, he decides that maybe, just this once, it's fine.

* * *

He never expects it to be a pattern.

Gloria asks him out regularly after the tournaments, most of the time to the little café. Sometimes to walks by the river. And once, she drags him into the Wild Area, where they're away from prying eyes, and the Champion laughs as she dances in the wild grass with nary a care in the world.

 _"I don't want you to look at me_ just _as someone you have to beat,"_ she had said, and when Bede sees her like this, grass in her hair, her hat knocked awry and a small, awkward grin on her face, he doesn't see the Champion.

He sees the nervous girl he met at Motostoke an age ago, still present under the veneer of confidence. The daughter that refuses to get rid of her well-worn jacket, just because it was a beloved hand-made gift from her mum. The prankster that sneaks a flower into his hair when he lets his guard down, and giggles fondly at him.

The lazy hours suffuse him with warmth, a stirring in his chest that wants the moment to drag on forever.

And though it's nice, though being more than just rivals is _nice_ , Bede never tightens his grip when she slides her fingers through his. She can slip away at any time, taking away the warmth of her skin against his palm, the pleasant pressure against his wrist.

Bede pretends he doesn't care. That as long as the comfortable warmth worms its way through his chest, as long as her smile drags him further and deeper amongst the rolling plains, they're just two people enjoying each other's presence- not the Champion, and her rival.

Then, as sudden as a flipping of a switch, the skies darken. Lightning streaks across the sky, and the Wild Area is suddenly drenched in a downpour.

Gloria squeals, laughing as she ducks away from the rain. Bede reacts instinctively, holding a hand out to her as he tugs an umbrella out of his bag.

"Came prepared, did you?" Despite the water soaking her skin, she smiles, and Bede can't help but mirror her expression as he opens the umbrella.

"Wouldn't go into the Wild Area without one," he answers easily. "Come on. It's a long walk back to Motostoke."

The Champion laughs. Makes one last pirouette in the rain before stepping up to him. Her hand rests easily in his, and with a simple tug she's ensconced snugly by his side. Her free hand folds over his, and then they're holding the umbrella together. A soft giggle reverberates through his skin, and when he looks, her brown eyes glitter up at him. She pouts.

"Eyes on the road ahead! I don't want us stumbling and falling into the mud in the middle of a thunderstorm, and then where would we be?"

"I didn't think you were this commanding," he snipes, and Gloria gives him a little smack on his chest.

"Come on," she echoes, her smile oddly gently. And surrounded only by the downpour, Bede should feel cold, miserable. But when she looks at him like that- when she fits so easily next to him, all he can feel is a comforting sensation blanketing over him, as if all was right in the world.

They make their way slowly through the hills Gloria was running through before. He wraps one arm around her shoulders to brace her from slipping- which she does twice, much to Bede's amusement- and she pouts whenever he makes a snide remark about it. But their hands never let go of each other, not even when the rain stops and they step into the orange glow of Motostoke's evening lights.

They find a small street to finally catch their bearings. Gloria grins as she wrings the water out of her jacket and Bede closes the umbrella, ignoring the fact that his entire right side is wet from where he'd been hit by the rain.

"That didn't go quite the way I expected," Gloria admits ruefully.

"Aren't you the master of adaptation?" Bede remarks, gently nudging her shoulder.

"I didn't need to, not when I have you!" Gloria grins, nudging him back, before bursting into laughter.

Bede joins her, and it's so easy, so nice- to just be like this, to be with her, to revel in this joy that swirls through him and roots him to the earth.

"Thank you." When she smiles then, it's an expression he's never caught before- soft, fragile. A hint of nervousness, but her eyes burning bright with sincerity. It catches in his throat, pools in liquid warmth that drips along his skin, down to the tips of his fingers.

It's the first time she's ever thanked him.

But before he can respond, before he can appreciate the moment, the flash of a camera blinds his vision.

"Champion, over here!"

Photographers. Bede hisses a curse, and Gloria squeezes his hand in reassurance. Immediately, she steps protectively in front of him, into the limelight, despite her soaking clothes and dripping hair.

And there's the face of the champion, the broad-shouldered stance, the confidence in her chin as she answers the questions the media throw at her.

"Gym leader Bede!" He's spotted, and someone shoves a mic into his face. "Are you out with the Champion to try to find her weak points for the upcoming Gym Season? How do you feel, knowing that you're nil to five in your battles with her?"

Resentment rears its ugly head, twisting into his stomach like a poison he can never quite expel. Bede's never really liked the comparisons the media draws of him to her- never likes that everything he is somehow portrayed as in comparison to _her._ Gloria steps in smoothly, shooting a worried glance at him before she intercepts the question.

Then she's all laughter, all smiles, and Bede pulls away from the cameras, away from the attention- nobody notices as he ducks behind a wall and waits.

And he realizes- she doesn't really need him. She's the Champion of Galar. She could have found her way back home without him, probably just leapt onto her Corviknight and reached Postwick faster than it took them to get here, muddling along the path. The entire time she was with him- the entire time she clung to him- she was _humoring_ him.

His cheeks flare with heat, and Bede curses himself _(how stupid, stupid can he be?)_

It takes a while, but Gloria eventually waves the reporters off. By then, an old bitterness has seeped into his bones. He waits until she steps towards him, hands tucked in front of her and an apologetic smile on her face.

"Sorry about that," she whispers.

"It's fine," he answers gruffly. "We're back in the city, anyways. Maybe this is where we should part ways."

And he knows he didn't hide his dissatisfaction from the way she flinches, the way her fingers twitch. "Bede-"

"I'll see you," he mumbles, turning on his heel and walking away.

He tries not to feel guilty from the soft gasp that follows him, from the way he can hear her standing there for a while longer before shuffling away. He hates how he keeps doing this to himself- by being around her, by liking her, by hating her all at once.

_(And the sun was beautiful as it played in her hair, hair that was soaked through with rain and skin that was cold to his touch when he holds her close, and oh, her smile was bright then. So bright that it had been the best day he'd had in a long while, hadn't it? But of course it wasn't real, none of it was ever real- not for him.)_

Bede purses his lips. The walk home is long, and even though his jacket and umbrella protected him from most of the rain, it feels as though cold rivulets drip down his arms, through his heart, and down to his toes.

And the silence, so devoid of a laughter that he strains to hear, is almost unbearable.

* * *

It's a few weeks after when Gloria shows up at Ballonlea one day. They'd bumped into each other a fair number of times at the tournaments, and Gloria's always cordial and bright, as if pretending that the day in the rain never happened.

_(Of course, maybe it didn't really matter to her, after all, if the only reason why she cares about him is because she feels sorry for him.)_

Bede's just done for the day, waving goodbye to his Gym Trainers. He spots the Champion waiting in the lounge, her hands tucked behind her back and her hat falling low over her eyes. She kicks her legs at the empty air, scuffing her shoe along the floor. She doesn't seem to notice his presence.

"Gloria?" he asks, wondering what could possibly bring the Champion here.

"Bede!" She beams at him in an instant, pushing her hat back over her head. She looks so small off the pitch, so unobtrusive in her normal plains, that Bede still can't quite believe that so much power and skill lies hidden within her tiny frame. "Just got off work?"

He arches an eyebrow- _obviously._ Gloria snickers, but then her demeanor tenses, and she chews her lip for a moment before she speaks.

"It's my mum's birthday today."

"Oh." Bede blinks. What was he supposed to do with that information? Pursing his lips, he settles with, "Congratulations."

"Thanks!" A grin pulls at her lips, but that dims quickly too. "My mum and I... I was wondering. Would you like to join us for dinner? Tonight. At Postwick. My mum's cooking. Just the three of us."

"I-" Bede hesitates. He's never been invited for dinner before. Once, he might have wanted Chairman Rose to have extended such an offer to him, but _Gloria..._

"It's okay if you've got plans!" She speaks quickly now, her cheeks flushed. "It's just, mum cooks a lot, and she asked me if there was anybody I'd like to invite and I-I thought about you, so..."

So she asked. Bede sighs. He finds less and less motivation to deny her requests nowadays, despite the warnings blaring in his head.

"Alright."

It's hard not to smile when Gloria lets out a little whoop and does a little jump. Bede lets out a little laugh when she starts hustling him out of the gym and towards the train station. Smirks when she pouts at him, when she loops her arms around his.

_(And oh, it seems so normal and simple and happy, doesn't it?)_

* * *

Bede forgets sometimes.

Life's been peaceful, filled with a consistent warmth that winds its roots around him. Holds him away from the memories, the scars that he used to bear.

The rawness in his chest when he was told he would never see his parents again.

The despair when he was pushed to the ground, told that nobody would ever want _him._

The hurt, when Chairman Rose refused to look at him.

It's been replaced by Opal's quiet humming, the steady battles in Ballonlea Gym. Gloria's smile.

But it all comes rushing back when he smells _home_.

It's a earthy scent, one that he sometimes detects clinging to Gloria's clothes. But the moment she opens the door and runs straight into her mother's arms, it hits him.

It smells of warmth, of love. A hand through his hair, arms winding around his waist. Unconditional and pure.

_(Something he doesn't deserve.)_

"Bede, you alright?"

Gloria looks at him with a worried frown, still half-entangled in her mother's embrace.

"Yes, I- ah, here." He hands the package of store-bought chocolates to Gloria's mother, tries not to look away from the crinkling eyes and dimpling cheeks. She looks so much like her daughter, and even though she hasn't met him, doesn't know him, there's so much warmth in this stranger's eyes that it stirs memories of a mother's laugh, the taste of homemade cookie dough.

Gloria looks in between the two of them for a while, before introducing Bede to her mother. "Mum, this is Bede, the Ballonlea Gym Leader," she says brightly. "And my friend."

Not rival. Not the person she pities. Not the boy who made her cry. _Friend._

Suddenly it's too much. The feelings overwhelm him, and the thorns around his neck dig into his skin. Bede manages a choked apology before he dashes out the door, the cold night breeze slamming into him as he dashes through the Postwick fields. He doesn't really know where he's going, just that he needs to get back, get away from that feeling, that sensation.

_That peace he always longed for, but only now realized he would never attain._

He doesn't know how long he walks before he settles on a small hill. He can see the lights from Postwick here, and above him, the orange light of the evening sun is being washed away by the blue of the night. He huffs, but the tightness in his chest doesn't ease, and as he leans down into the grass and looks up into the twinkling stars, all Bede can do is remind himself to breathe.

In, out. Inhale, exhale.

"Was it too much?" A meek, familiar voice whispers through the air.

Somehow, he's not surprised that Gloria finds him here. She peeks into his vision, her arms behind her back. She looks at him with that familiar expression, that frown and pursed lips.

"What do you mean?" he asks. Part of him hopes that maybe, just this once, she'll go away. The other part remembers her hand in his, her whispered words for him to _stay._

"Being around my mom." She hesitates, dipping her head. "Being around me."

Jagged shards dig into his insides. Bede whispers, "I don't need your pity."

"It isn't pity!"

Gloria huffs. Instead of storming away, she plops herself next to him on the grass, wrapping her arms around her knees as she looks at him.

Bede narrows his gaze. He doesn't have the patience in him to pretend anymore. And as much as he wants to sink into their easy camaraderie, he _can't-_ not when reality catches up to him, not like this. "So, what?" He asks bitterly. "You ask me out, you talk to me, you're nice to me because you... _like_ me?"

Her shoulders stiffen, her body drawn taut. And for a moment, a nasty voice in his head whispers that he was right, that he should never have expected anything more from this... this _girl. (That had made her way into his life, his thoughts, that had given him a reason to be so much more. That he owed so much to, and yet-)_

"Is that so hard to believe?"

Gloria's soft voice interrupts his thoughts. So soft, so _hurt_ , Bede's breath catches.

She draws in a shaking breath. "I've never pitied you. I've only always wanted to help you. To be your friend. Please, tell me... was I wrong to do so?"

"I don't know," he admits. His fingers dig into the palm of his hand, and even though there's a lump in his throat, he forces himself to meet Gloria's gaze. "I- When I see you, I don't know what you could possibly want from me. You have everything. Everything I'd have killed for. And much as I _resented_ you for all of that-" Bede pauses, wills himself not to flinch at the hurt in her eyes, "-I can't resent you for everything you've given me."

"You don't have to beat me to be happy."

Gloria watches him sharply now, brown eyes glistening in the starlight.

Bede laughs shakily. "Don't I? What do I have, Gloria, if not for my strength? Even that, even then... I only got strong because I wanted to beat you."

Silence follows his admission. The wind whips around them, the grass shuffling in the breeze. Gloria's face is still, and not even her lips are quivering. 

Then a watery chuckle escapes her, and she dabs at her eyes.

Something seizes his heart, squeezes it. 

"Gloria-" he begins, though he's not sure what to say. 

But then Gloria shakes her head and turns to him and _smiles,_ tears rolling down her cheeks and her hair whipping in the wind. It hurts, takes his breath away. 

"You're... amazing, you know, Bede?" Her voice is soft, but her words are tinged warm and kind. "So many times I've almost lost to you. So many times I look at you and I feel so inspired because you never give up, you keep on getting stronger."

A sniffle, a weary smile. "And even then, you're not who you used to be either. You... you're nice to me, now. You let me rely on you, you make me laugh, you endure so much from me and I feel _myself_ around you. Sometimes I feel like... maybe, it's the same for you too. That when you're with me, you can just be yourself. That maybe, you really _do_ care about me, as much as I care for you. But you keep hiding away from me and I don't know what else to do."

Bede's throat tightens. In the face of her sorrow, he isn't sure what to say, what to feel.

But he doesn't like the tears dripping down her cheeks. The way her fingers dig into her jacket as if to ward off pain.

_(The pain he caused her. The pain he causes himself.)_

He hates that the most.

And Gloria, nervous and strong and brave and bright- Gloria sits next to him, ever-supportive even though he all but told her that he hated her.

He remembers how he made her smile, once. How she laughed when she dragged him through the wild grass, the sunlight in her hair. How honest her eyes were when she held his hands, how sincere her smile.

He always likes that the most about her.

And if there's anything he can do now, anything he _should_ do now... it'd be to stop lying to himself, to stop pretending, and _see._

He sits up. She makes a muffled noise, turning to him.

"Bede?"

Her brown eyes draw him in, and he hates the wetness on her skin. He lifts his hand, grazes it along her cheek, wiping away the tears that trail along her cheek.

"I'm sorry," he whispers.

Then he leans in and slides his lips against hers. Gloria stills against him, but as the seconds pass, she leans into the kiss, lets him tug her closer, winds her hands into his jacket and doesn't move away. Accepts him, holds him, far closer than Bede has ever imagined.

When they part, she looks at him half in wonder, but the tremble in her body hasn't faded. Nervously, she asks, "Could you really be happy with just this?"

Bede laughs, blinks away his own tears forming at the corner of his eyes.

"I think I've been very happy for a long time now," he tells her. "If only I let myself believe it."

Gloria smiles then, bright and pure, and kisses him again.

* * *

They make their way back to Gloria's house. Dinner's still there- a little late, but warm and filling. And as Bede settles into the laughter, into the warmth and the banter of a _family_ and _home_ , he catches his smile in the mirror- easy, warm. Gloria looks at him shyly, that same look that she later wears when she tugs him up to her room and they lie bundled on her childhood bed, nuzzled together in comforting warmth under a hand-knit quilt.

She tells him about her childhood here, chasing after Wooloo and running along the hills. She tells him of the stars she's spent watching each night, how they never cease to amaze her. She talks, and in the soothing melody of her voice, Bede drifts off with her in his arms. 

He wakes when the first rays of light stray through the window. It takes him a while to adjust- to remember where he is, who he is with. The sunlight coasts along Gloria's skin, dusting across her cheeks and lighting her hair ablaze. She barely stirs. There's a soft, radiant smile on her face as she clings close to him. _Happy._

He chuckles softly then, understanding seeping into him as he holds her in his arms. How could he have been so wrong? So blind and foolish, to think back to when they first met, and he thought she was nothing special and just someone who belonged off to the side, out of his path?

"You're like the sunrise," he whispers.

Gloria shifts in his arms. Blearily, she blinks her eyes and meets his gaze. Lets out a soft groan. "It's too early," she mumbles.

Bede smirks and kisses her. She rolls her eyes in exasperation, a happy sound escaping her as their lips move against one another. When he lifts his head, she's watching him with an arched eyebrow, tempered with soft fondness.

Bede takes in the sight of her. Plays with her brown hair, his fingers glancing off her skin. And the warmth- of her, of her love- wraps around him and cocoons him in a bubble of happiness that chases all the shadows away.

"You guide me," he tells her then. "You warm me, the more I stay in your presence. You're beautiful, Gloria."

The Champion- of his heart, of his life- smiles, winding her fingers through his curls. She looks perfect in his arms, an impression of joy and beauty and everything right in the world. She holds him close, kisses him, and whispers the words that Bede echoes in his heart.

"I love you, too."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this fic! This is the longest I've ever gone for a one-shot, and it was a doozy, and I've gone a bit crazy by the end of writing this. I've always wanted to write this fic but I've never got around to doing so until now, and what better time than Bederia week? Lots of love to Daidairo, who helped sort all the various threads I wanted to write and kept me focused through all the 10k words. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this! If you see any errors please let me know... or quietly ignore them ahahahaha-


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